Amy Macfarlane is a PhD student at the WSL Institute for Snow and Avalanche Research Institute SLF. My research focuses on the microstructure of snow on sea ice and its influence on energy transfer. As part of her PhD she joined the MOSAiC expedition in 2020 to conduct field work on sea ice for 8 months. During the MOSAiC expedition, they directly measured the microstructure of the melting summer sea ice using a micro-computed tomograph (microCT) installed onboard the Polarstern. Her current research uses these microstructure measurements as inputs into radiative transfer models, to compare the model performance. Amy uses co-located spectral albedo measurements from the field for model validation. Direct comparisons of models and in-situ measurements will allow for detailed validation of modelling capabilities and lead to improved representation of optical properties associated with physical properties of the sea ice surface layer. After returning from the expedition, she joined the national committee of APECS Switzerland, an organisation for early career researchers that aims to stimulate interdisciplinary and international collaboration in polar, high altitude and cryospheric sciences. She has also become involved in a project which is working towards making field work more sustainable and less damaging to the environment. Through joining APECS Amy looks forward to networking with other early career researchers and initiating conversations on this topic.